until the cows freeze over

phrase

For a very long period of time.

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Meanings

phrase
  1. humorousidiomaticFor a very long period of time.

Origin

Mixed metaphor combining until the cows come home + when Hell freezes over.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

until the cows freeze over. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/until%20the%20cows%20freeze%20over

MLA

“until the cows freeze over.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/until%20the%20cows%20freeze%20over. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “until the cows freeze over,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/until%20the%20cows%20freeze%20over.

Source: until the cows freeze over on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.